The spokesman for the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee said the West is pursuing its interests by arousing anti-Iran sentiments, adding that some western and Arab countries seek to blame Iran for regional conflicts by promoting Iranophobia.
Hossein Naqavi Hosseini made the remarks after US President Barack Obama and heads of delegations of the six-nation (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council issued a joint statement on Thursday after talks at the US presidential retreat Camp David, northwest of Washington.
"Unfortunately, the West is still using Iranophobia as an instrument to interfere in regional affairs and we have witnessed in recent years that (western) countries, especially the US, have made major gains employing this tactic," ICANA quoted Naqavi Hosseini as saying on Saturday.
Turning to the huge amounts the US earns by provoking negative sentiments toward Iran, the lawmaker referred to the issue of US arms sales to Arab countries, and in particular, the proposed deployment of a US-supplied missile shield system in the region, which ostensibly aims to protect Persian Gulf Arab states against perceived missile threats from Iran.
He said Arab countries blame Iran for recent developments in the region, while "the Islamic Republic has always sought (to promote) peace and stability in the region and has never interfered in the internal affairs of other countries, nor does it aim to do so."
The lawmaker expressed regret that some Arab countries blindly follow US policies in the region and practically set the stage for tensions and expansion of terrorist groups.
The United States and Persian Gulf Arab states said in their joint statement that they "oppose and will work together to counter Iran's (alleged) destabilizing activities in the region and stressed the need for Iran to engage the region according to the principles of good neighborliness, strict non-interference in domestic affairs and respect for territorial integrity."
